Gimbal Ring

krisnowicki

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jul 11, 2007
Messages
1,172
out today for what will probably b the last day of the season. Leaving cracker barrell and looking and checking everything out. I see my gimbal ring is cracked right where the hinge pin goes through. I put some waterweld JB weld on it and it is holding fine. why would this break ? and what is difference between gen 1 and gen 2 on the gimbal ring. I am probly going to look for one used on ebay. Also, is there any other difference to whatch out for? Also, what harm will come from the jb welded ring now?
 

Haut Medoc

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 29, 2004
Messages
10,645
Re: Gimbal Ring

Anyone's guess on how it cracked...
I would not trust the JB weld for too long in a high stress area like that.....
Can't say what if any differences, but generally gen 1 & gen 2 are not compatible....
As always, getting the getting the exact part is going to be best....
This is not an easy fix & will reqiure engine removal as well as gimbal housing removal........:(
 

wewefirex2x

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Feb 19, 2007
Messages
267
Re: Gimbal Ring

There is actually two ways to to replace a gimbal ring, same affect. The first one like haut said is going to be to take the motor out. The second one is there is a kit they make where you drill out the sides to reach the nut on the steering arm. I will see if I can find kit.
 
Last edited:

krisnowicki

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jul 11, 2007
Messages
1,172
Re: Gimbal Ring

option b no engine removal required? Also, if I was going to remove the engine it seems it may be best to remove the whole transom assembly instead of just the ring and replace it?
 

krisnowicki

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jul 11, 2007
Messages
1,172
Re: Gimbal Ring

I am so angry I bought this boat from a dealer 2 months ago and after seeing the break yesterday it was clear that it had been welded before and painted over. I am going to go with option b... and drill the holes out. So I am ordering the stuff today. Attach is the picture of the crack
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0046.JPG
    IMG_0046.JPG
    43.1 KB · Views: 3

krisnowicki

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jul 11, 2007
Messages
1,172
Re: Gimbal Ring

oh man don what happend? I just ordered I can call tommorrow and cancel.. what happened when you used it though. A guy with your skills who doesnt want definite throws up flares....
 

JustJason

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 27, 2007
Messages
5,321
Re: Gimbal Ring

hope you don't have a swim platform on the back of the boat.

an alternative to punching holes in the gimbal is if you have some cheap combination wrenches. put them in a vise and hammer the wrench handle to bend it. if you have "some" access on the boat side you may be able to sneek in there with some bent wrenches.
but it is trial and error. best of luck.
 

Don S

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Aug 31, 2004
Messages
62,321
Re: Gimbal Ring DonS

Re: Gimbal Ring DonS

For one thing, it was many years ago. I had the swim step (actually a work platform) right down on the top of the drive. Ended up messing up the threads trying to get the 1" npt tap started straight. Ended up taking longer than it took me to pull the engine and transom shield and doing the job properly, an then it leaked. Finally had to pull the whole thing (For free of course) and doing it right. Also installed a used transom shield to stop those leaky plastic plugs furnished in the kit.
Turns out the boat I was working on (Commercial bow picker) usually had the total transom shield under water. Not how they are designed to set.
Those cheap plastic plugs did not seal. Afer that experience. I either did it right the first time or sold them the kit so they could do it themselves.
 

krisnowicki

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jul 11, 2007
Messages
1,172
Re: Gimbal Ring

this is from another forum anyone heard about this ?

3. Tantrum found a company that made a kit to do it with out pulling the motor and it was a lot better than the merc kit. You had to remove the mercruser sticker from the top of the transom assembly. Using there template you had to cut out a slot in the housing to allow access to slip in a wrench to remove the nut. It was a much cleaner and easier job. When you were done you installed a Stainless steel cover plate with a gasket to cover up the hole. It actually looks cool, not like the Frankenstein looking plugs that merc supplied me. Also if the ring fails again, we can now change it in a couple of hours. This kit did require some special tools that the manufacture of the kit did send along with it. I got some old wrenches from around the shop and grinded them to the same shape as threes before we returned the originals back to the supplier. The directions supplied were very clear.
 

45Auto

Commander
Joined
May 31, 2002
Messages
2,842
Re: Gimbal Ring

The kit with the plate is the JR Marine kit. As far as I know it's only for the Bravo drives. Great people to deal with, you'll be talking to Ron Bender himself if you call them. Website is http://www.jrmarine.com/.

I had to replace my gimbal ring last year, the JR kit and high strength parts worked great.

This thread has a pic of the plate on the transom housing:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=249776
 

chiefalen

Captain
Joined
May 18, 2008
Messages
3,598
Re: Gimbal Ring

If i were you and discovered the crack on the ring was repaired and painted over, i would have brought the boat back to the dealer and demanded my money back.

This was not a private person sale and also if it were ,the seller would have to point out the repair and note it on the bill of sale.

And if they balked i would point out it was a clear case of fraud.

I would take them to small claims court for sure you would win.
 

45Auto

Commander
Joined
May 31, 2002
Messages
2,842
Re: Gimbal Ring

This was not a private person sale and also if it were ,the seller would have to point out the repair and note it on the bill of sale.

Must be some strange NJ laws! Are you required to note every repair ever made to a used vehicle on the bill of sale in NJ? Those bill of sales must be as thick as a book! What if the person or dealer who sold the vehicle isn't the original owner and doesn't know about the repairs on the vehicle?? Sounds like BS to me. Do you have a reference to the applicable NJ law?

I bet Krisnocki's bill of sale says "AS IS". No way you're going to get a dealer to pay for a repair on a boat that the dealer probably wasn't even aware of.

Maybe look up the old Roman phrase "Caveat emptor". :) :)
 

chiefalen

Captain
Joined
May 18, 2008
Messages
3,598
Re: Gimbal Ring

Will the gimbal on the donor boat i have in my backyard fit, you can have it.

It's a merc 1985. Still has the steering cable attached steering wheel and is attached to the transom.

Turns easy, and i was gonna take it out today with my friend.

I'm gonna leave it to the side of my house.

Upper shift cable gone but if you need that to i bet my friend will give it back.

With the throttle connected.

Stuff i just don't need.

Tell you what come with a trailer and you can have the whole boat with the title, all i wanted was the motor.

Oh yea to the point of painting over a weld and the weld giving way.

Say some lowlife, pos, snake in the grass were to weld the main frame of

the car, and your wife is going down the road and hits a bump and it snaps in

half and shes killed, do you think the dealer you bought the car from has a

duty to inspect such car before selling it to you.

How about say he doesn't weld the frame, he welds the brake caliper, or the upper control arm.

Alot of comparisons can be made with cars, and boats but they are different.

Now to the question of the boat bought from a DEALER, does the dealer have a duty to inspect such boat before selling it and noting a repair.

How about the guy who fixed a flat tire and the tire blew killing the guy firestone i think, and the guys widow won 23 million dollars or something like that.

Oh yea we have the NJ lemon law, i didn't look it up but it might cover boats.

If any judge looks at this one case where the weld was painted over i bet he would win.

Ether way i would tow that boat over to the Dealer where i bought it and show it to them and say, if you didn't know it was there you should have known.

Maybe you can have them repair it and split the money.
 

krisnowicki

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jul 11, 2007
Messages
1,172
Re: Gimbal Ring

Thanks Chieflen,
I need a alpha one gen 2 ring. There is a 1/4 inch difference between the two from what i understand. I have been looking on ebay and cant find a used one. the new kits are about 450. And, I don't want to spend it but I will. Any one know of a good marine salvage place?
 
Top